Caught Lila
by The Deceiving Maiden
Summary: SPOILERS FOR S3E24: LADYBUG! Lila thought her lies would never be caught. Adrien was offering her his friendship to make her stop hurting Marinette, but as if she would go along with that. She was going to get Adrien and make Marinette's life miserable. Too bad that plan went down the drain when she was called into Mr. Damocles's office.


**Deceiver: That moment when the series pissed me off so much it caused stress writing.**

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**Caught Lila**

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Lunch was almost over, and _God_ did Lila just want to stay home instead of going back to school for the rest of the day. It was too boring, especially when she still hadn't gotten the proper chance to sit next to Adrien ever since her return to school. But it shouldn't be long now. Afterall, Adrien said so himself. They were _friends_. Lila was Adrien's _friend_. Not the sort of relationship she really wanted with the handsome boy, but she was soon going to get so much more soon. That Adrien thought she could threaten her to stop tormenting that goody-two shoe named Marinette Dupain-Cheng? So naïve. There was no way was she going to stop trying to make that girl's life miserable. Lila just hated that righteous girl so much, always pointing out her lies like it was totally her business to begin with. There was nothing wrong with lying to begin with, as it allowed Lila to get all the love and attention she obviously deserved more than anyone else.

So Marinette deserved to be tormented by Lila since she was too stupid to know where her place was – grovelling under Lila's feet for trying to defy her.

But still, Lila was going to humour Adrien. She was going to just act like she stopped tormenting Marinette to get on his good side. If spewing the lies herself was going to make her suspicious, Lila was just going to plant incriminating evidence on Marinette to make someone else spread the lies for her. This should make Adrien see Lila in a better light, and fawn over her while being disgusted by Marinette in the end. And with Adrien by her side, along with Gabriel Agreste's assistance for her service, Lila could obtain everything that was beyond her wildest imagination. She could become the world's top model. The most influential model. A model with every fame and glory she could ever wish for. And everyone around her would go on their knees, worshipping her like the idiots they were; with Adrien by her side to heed her every beck and call.

Nothing was ever going to get in Lila's way. Afterall, everyone was too stupid to even catch her properly, since they would all just drink up more of her lies and forget about whatever horrible things she did.

Humming to herself while walking into school, Lila spotted Marinette making her way into their classroom. Just the sight of the girl made Lila's hands itch with the need to hurt her, however, she hadn't yet made any proper plans to frame Marinette without Adrien blaming her, so Lila would have to wait a bit longer. It was going to be tricky to make plans without her being the one spreading the lie, but hey, this lying fox didn't just start her business in lying recently.

Not even taking three steps into her classroom though, she was called out. "Oh, Lila! I'm glad you're here." Ms Bustier gave her a soft smile as the dark-skinned Italian girl turned to her in confusion. "I know you just got arrived, but Mr. Damocles would like to see you in his office right now."

"Mr. Damocles?" Hush whispers erupted in the classroom, and Lila already knew this would be bad news. Whatever trouble she was caught in, she was just going to wiggle out of it with more lies somehow. "Oh! Mr. Damocles!" she gave a sweet laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "I already saw him on my way here, Ms. Bustier. So everything is okay now."

"No." For a split second, the smile on her teacher's face disappeared. It came back of course, but her eyes gave a slight leer as she stared down at the girl. Everyone else in the classroom noticed, making them hush for a moment. "I don't think so. Mr. Damocles' office. _Now._"

The tone in her voice told Lila to not push it with anymore lies. She could always just pretend to go see him, skipping school all together, but her instinct told her otherwise. Her hands turned into fists slightly as she turned around to take her leave, right before the whispers came back again. It was louder now, as if echoing the idea of how much trouble Lila was possibly in.

Trouble? Her? _Lila_? All she could do was let out a haughty laugh in the hall. _Puh_-lease. As if she was ever going to be in trouble. Whatever was going, she could just weave some sad story to get out of it. Afterall, everyone always sympathized on a villain with a tragic backstory. She never had one, but the last time she weaved a tale on her having a 'rare, yet terrible disease' that made her frame Marinette for so many things, she was forgiven by the principal as he shed his tears and blew his nose. The memory of that made Lila laugh again. He's so gullible. How did that batty old man even become a principal to begin with?

Once she arrived, Lila knocked at the door before she opened it. She timidly poked her head in, putting on a soft-spoken voice as she asked "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Mr. Damocles looked up from his paperwork, dropping everything as he straightened up with his hands folded on the desk. "Ah, Lila. Please, have a seat."

With a shy nod, Lila did as told. She was very quiet, putting on a frightful look in her eyes as she asked "Did I…do something wrong, Mr. Damocles?"

The old man just eyed at her carefully, his beard and moustache twitching slightly as he shook his head. "No, Lila. I just wanted to talk. It's regarding your progress with your all the schoolwork you missed and have yet to hand in." Lila could only blink as Mr. Damocles took out a folder, looking over the files kept in it. "As I understand, you and your family were in Kingdom of Achu for months, from the day after you were transferred to this school, until just recently. Is that correct?"

Lila feigned a gasp, looking horrified as she mourned over the issue. "Oh no! Am I really in trouble? I'm so sorry for still not handing in any of my work!" The school kept sending her schoolwork to do while she was away, but of course Lila never bothered to do them. It was not like she understood whatever Ms. Bustier was teaching; actually, she never bothered learning anything. She could just make some excuse on why she never did any work and let go scoot free. So shedding a tear, with her lips pathetically trembling, Lila admitted "There was just so many things going on while I was overseas! My mother's job…sometimes she wants me to help her with it! That and I had to help Prince Ali with the pollution-reduction project…" she continued to sob out her sad story. "Now that I'm back…I'm just _so _overwhelmed with catching up on everything I missed! To the point I don't want to hand in anything because I was so scared that I'll be a disappointment to everyone! Please forgive me!"

As she covered her face and sobbed her crocodile tears out, Lila let herself grin as Mr. Damocles sighed in dismay. "Of course," he stated, eyeing the file while Lila was not looking. "You must have it hard with not only helping your mother with her work…she's works at an embassy at a diplomat, correct? It must be a very difficult job for her."

Continuing to let her sobs continue for a bit longer, Lila finally lifted her face out of her hands, her fingers coming up to tenderly wipe away her tears. "Yes…my mother…" she sniffled again, "My mother worked so hard to raise me. We have to travel a lot due to her work, and I always needed to help her since she's always so busy." Of course, her mother being busy part was not a lie, but it was a fuel to make her more pitiable and fussed over. "I know I'm never attentive at school, but I'll try my best from now on. Honest!"

Mr. Damocles just gave a nod. "That is good to hear. But don't strain yourself. Afterall," he leaned in to offer her some tissues, which Lila took in gratitude and blew into it hard. "Afterall, your life must have been hard. You have this disease that makes you compulsively lie without control, and you had tinnitus? And arthritis? From an accident?"

"O-Oh…" Wow, despite the principal being dumb, he kept a thorough record on what she said. "Y-Yes. I did have tinnitus and arthritis," she wiped away the rest of her tears now, putting on a sweet smile, "but Ladybug cured me. So I'm alright now. And maybe someday," she beamed at Mr. Damocles with all the sincerity she could muster up, "I will also be cured of this horrible disease where I tell lies thanks to Ladybug!" _….Just kidding, _Lila mentally added with a scoff, gagging on the inside to boot.

And with Mr. Damocles giving another nod, he looked up from Lila to someone standing at the back corner of his office. "And there you have it, Mrs. Rossi."

All the façade Lila was putting on instantly dropped to the floor as she spun around in her seat, paling at the sight of her mother walking towards her and Mr. Damocles. "M-Mum…!" she couldn't help but stutter. "W-Why…since when did you get here!?"

Mrs. Rossi didn't reply. She just walked pass her daughter, not glancing at her way until she stood beside Mr. Damocles. "Mr. Damocles called me in this morning regarding your performance at school, Lila," she said, her voice thick with disappointment. "At first I didn't want to believe you would have issues with your schoolwork since _you claimed_ the school was closed for months due to the akuma attacks." She huffed, staring down at Lila sternly as the girl tried to shrink away and hide under the principal's desk. Not happening. "We had a bit of talk from there, and it turned out while you lied to me, you also lied to the school we were actually on an overseas trip? Hmmm? Do you care to explain that to me?"

Lila couldn't believe this was happening. She had made sure to give a false update on her mother's contact details when she returned to school. But somehow, they still managed to call her anyway.

What's more, her mother found out about the lies she told to everyone so then she could be away from school for so long.

Lila could feel her a part of her web of lies being undone.

"M-Mum! Do you really believe what Mr. Damocles said?" She stood up to take her stand. "He's lying to you! The akuma attacks have caused him to-"

"Do not give me that lie again! I am not done!" Lila was shot back down in her seat in seconds. "Not only have you been lying to me and the teachers here, but you also lied to everyone about one of your classmates committing horrible deeds!? To the point she was expelled!?"

"I-I'm sick!" Lila desperately tried to grasp at any strand of lie that was left for her to use. Any lies. "I did all that because I have this disease that makes me lie at all the time! Honest!"

"Like how you had tinnitus from an accident?" Mrs. Rossi asked her, and for once, Lila couldn't make a comeback. "And you have arthritis? What other disease and illness did you have? Tonsillitis? Appendicitis? Scoliosis? You needed surgeries for those so you didn't have to come to school because of it?" Lila didn't lie about those illness, but she did make a lie or two on taking surgeries so everyone would treat her to ice cream and stuff…no need for her mother to know that. "I have already informed Mr. Damocles that you never had any sort of illness or disabilities to begin with, but it seems I _do _need to take you to the doctors to be diagnosed for all these excessive lying you had been doing all this time!"

Never had Lila's mother scolded her this way. Lila couldn't even move or speak in protest what was being shot at her. Before, she could just weasel her way out of any trouble she got caught in, but this time, she was trapped.

Mr. Damocles placed his chin in his hands, watching Lila carefully. "I have seen my students come and go, telling small lies to big lies. Some maybe due to having a compulsive lying habit, or just wanted to be noticed by their peers, but…" he shook his head. "Never have I met a student like you with a severe case of pathological lying disorder, that not only fooled your mother and everyone at school, but also harmed one of the students here."

Lila couldn't help it, but she glared back. Oh really, he was blaming her? Everyone here were the dumb ones to fall for her lies so easily! Stomping her feet, she screeched "But Marinette is a bad person! She's so horrible! I mean…" she let the tears fall again. "She's so mean to me! Even Adrien's dad thinks she's a bad influence, so I was doing everyone a favour to get rid of her!"

"That is not, and never was, your concern!" Mr. Damocles voice boomed at Lila to be silenced. She didn't expect that. "If she really was a bad influence, you should have told us why to begin with, not create false accusations!" The principal leaned back, pulling out the paperwork he was working on. He just finished it up with a signature. "With all your lying to miss out on school, your schoolwork, and have malicious intention to falsely accuse your classmate, I'm afraid you are hereby suspended from school for two weeks. And," he put up a hand to stop any protests Lila have, "once you return, you're placed on detention until you have finished all the schoolwork given to you. Is that clear?"

No words came out of Lila's mouth, she was only gapping like a fish. She looked up her mother, who refused to even acknowledge whatever her daughter wanted to say and accepted the signed paperwork with no questions asked. All her lies started to untangle, letting everything around her crumble away.

Suspension? Everyone at school was going to ask questions! She could always make up a lie she was on another overseas trip, but it was risky now with Mr. Damocles and probably Mrs. Bustier seeing through her lies! They might even tell her classmates, making them question Lila and everything she ever said to get their attention…

She couldn't be suspended. She wouldn't allow it! All the lies she used to build her popularity at school was going to go to waste, ruining her entire school life and any chances to be with Adrien while tormenting Marinette still. The opportunity was right there…!

Looking up, something small and purple caught her eyes. It flew through the window, unnoticed by the two adults as they talked amongst themselves on arranging a counsellor for Lila's lying habits. Grinning at the sight, Lila reached out her hands towards the akuma, offering everything so Hawk Moth could bestow her…

"I don't think so, Hawk Moth!" Before the akuma could even land on Lila, something black and red shot through the window, catching the evil bugger before it was reeled in at once. Lila squeaked as everyone looked up to see Ladybug and Chat Noir standing on the windowsill, the red heroine freeing the purified butterfly as she sighed in relief. "Now that was a close one."

"Ladybug!" Mr. Damocles gapped at the superheroes standing before them, couldn't believe his eyes on what happened. "W-What brings you here?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Mr. Principal," Chat Noir grinned at them casually as he leaned against his Lady. "Milady and I were just walking around the neighbourhood and spotted an akuma heading your way. I'm glad we noticed it, or poor Lila would have been akumatised again."

"Wait…again!?" Mr. Damocles and Mrs. Rossi turned to Lila, who curled up into a ball in her seat.

And all Ladybug did was sigh. "Yes, I am afraid again. I don't know what happened here, but thank goodness that we were able to save her before it was too late." Ladybug didn't miss the fact that Lila was glaring at her angrily. "I'm not sure if Hark Moth will make another move to akumatise her again, but please look after her to prevent that from happening," and with a smile, Ladybug and Chat Noir were gone.

Turning back to Lila, Mrs. Rossi stared at her daughter with wide eyes. "Were you…always so upset that you get akumatised often?"

And at once, Lila let out a cry. "Yes! Can't you see how bad my life is! I'm being suspended for what!?" she sobbed harder. "Over the lies I couldn't keep myself from saying!? I couldn't help it, mother! Please don't have Mr. Damocles suspend me! I didn't mean to hurt anyone!"

That was a complete lie of course, but anything to keep herself at school. At least that way, she would still have some sort of chance to continue on with her life here. She could fix all of this if she stayed. More lies to cover her tracks, and even if her mother and teachers wouldn't believe her anymore, she still had everyone in her class to listen to her. Adrien would still offer his friendship in exchange for her being 'nice.' She could still make Marinette's life miserable somehow…that was the most important to her…

With a sigh, Mr. Damocles sat back in his chair. "Very well," he took the paperwork he just signed. "We won't suspend you from school."

Lila lifted her head up, a bright smile on her face…

Only to have it fall off when Mr. Damocles ripped the last shred of hope Lila had, fishing out a new paper to sign as he said "You're no longer welcomed in this school anymore. You're expelled."

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Nothing Lila said could have Mr. Damocles reconsider her expulsion. The girl was too dangerous to be allowed here, as not only could she cause the whole student body akumatised by her lies, but Lila herself was akumatised too many times to count. She tried to defend herself that it was only a thing that happened a couple of times, but no one would hear it. Especially when her mother declared they're moving away from Paris since she was that unstable to allow Hawk Moth to possess her.

And if that wasn't bad it got worse. Before she left the school, Lila was forced to confess everything in front of everyone at school, with all the teachers, the principal, her mother and Marinette's parents present to hear. She had to write the speech herself, but Mrs. Rossi and Mrs. Bustier had to read over it, before instructing her to make changes. Lila was not allowed to make pitiable speech to make herself the victim. She was confessing. Plain and simple.

Admit to lying to everyone all this time.

Admit to never having some sort of illness or disease she had mentioned

And admit that she had every intention to frame Marinette so much that it caused everyone to be akumatised, an causing the girl to be expelled.

Lila was not allowed to protest, for if she did, instead of having her internet activity monitored every day, her laptop and phone would be confiscated until she graduated.

And once she was done, of course everyone was in shock over the confession she just gave. Lila got to watch how her lies became undone, causing everyone glare at her in anger and proceed to boo her off the stage. It was a saving grace that no tomatoes were thrown at her, but it was clear no one wanted anything to do with her anymore.

Seeing how everyone flaunt over to Marinette and her parents to apologise for everything though, it made Lila rage. The stupid girl was still being morally goody by forgiving everyone's stupidity, with Adrien giving her a hug and one of his beautiful smiles at her. Growling, she really wanted Hawk Moth to send in another akuma so then she could tear everyone here a new one, with her savouring every second of how she would torment Marinette.

Yet, it never came. Lila didn't understand why Hawk Moth wouldn't help her. She was upset over all of this and she was going to leave Paris soon; she had every right to be akumatised right now if he wanted her help!

Little did she know though, Gabriel wanted nothing else to do with Lila Rossi anymore. Not only was she caught, but she tried to sell him out as well. She may had tried to betray Gabriel Agreste, but who could say she wouldn't betray Hawk Moth?

He had no need for a pawn that would potentially betray him. So he let Lila go.

She was too arrogant to think she wouldn't get caught with her obvious lies.

She's a fool.

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**Deceiver: Ladybug and Chat Noir coming in at the last minute _may_ have been too plot convenient. But no, I'm not letting Lila have the satisfaction of going on a rampage for a few minutes before getting defeated, followed by her maybe spinning a sob story on why she got akumatised.**

**Besides, the show's writing for Lila when she's around was never good to begin with. But just this time, instead of things going her way, _nothing_ goes her way.**

**I hope you all enjoyed!**


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